1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a disk loading device, and more particularly, to an improved slot-in type disk loading device for directly inserting and removing a disk-like recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a disk unit such as for example a CD-ROM device, in which information is recorded and/or reproduced (hereinafter recorded and reproduced) to and from a disk-like recording medium (hereinafter a disk), a disk loading device is provided to both load and eject the disk. These disk loading devices are of two types: a tray type, in which the disk rests on a tray and the tray is moved back and for the to load and eject the disk, and a slot-in type, in which the disk is directly inserted into and ejected from the unit.
In the case of the tray type disk loading device, racks are formed on the floor and sides of the tray. A motor drives a pinion that engages the racks so as to move the tray to an eject position or a loading position as the case may be.
In the case of the slot-in type disk loading device, a roller located on the inside of the slot is supported by a loading arm and retains the disk in place. When the loading arm rotates in a direction that inserts the disk into the unit, the disk moves to a predetermined loading position. To eject the disk from the unit, the loading arm rotates in an eject direction and expels the disk from the slot.
The eject position at which the loading arm ejects the disk is a position at which the disk sticks halfway out the insertion slot, that is, the disk does not fall from the slot. Accordingly, if the disk exceeds the eject position and extends from the insertion slot, then the disk may fall from the slot.
Accordingly, the roller provided at the tip of the loading arm is such that the ejection completion position is at a distance from the insertion slot that is essentially identical to the radius of the disk. Then, after ejection, when the next disk is inserted into the insertion slot, inserting the disk horizontally means that the inserted edge of the disk is supported by the roller and the loading arm loading operation transports the disk to a loading position.
In the conventional disk loading device, the loading arm completes ejection when substantially half the disk protrudes from the insertion slot, so the eject position is at a distance from the insertion slot that is essentially identical to the radius of the disk. For this reason, conventionally, when the disk is inserted into the insertion slot, the distance to the point at which the inserted edge of the disk is retained by the roller provided at the tip of the loading arm is relatively long.
As a result, in the conventional disk loading device, when the disk is inserted into the insertion slot the distance between the inside of the slot and the roller is long, which makes it difficult to insert the disk in a horizontal plane because the disk has a tendency to droop downward at the insertion edge.
If, for example, the disk is inserted in such downward-slanting state, then there is the danger that the inserted edge of the disk will pass below the roller and hence fail to be supported by the roller, resulting in an inability to load the disk.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful disk loading device in which the above-described disadvantage is eliminated.
The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by a disk loading device comprising:
a slot into which a disk-like recording medium is inserted;
a retaining member that retains the disk-like recording medium inserted from the slot;
a moving member that moves the retaining member so as to retract the disk-like recording medium in a disk insert direction during insertion and expel the disk-like recording medium in a disk eject direction during ejection; and
a drive mechanism that, after the disk-like recording medium has moved to an eject position, drives the moving member from the eject position further in the eject direction so as to bring the retaining member adjacent to the slot as the disk-like recording medium is withdrawn from the slot.
According to this aspect of the invention, at the same time as the disk is removed from the insertion slot, the moving member is driven from the eject position further in the eject direction so as to bring the
the inserted leading edge of the inserted disk can be supported at a position relatively close to the insertion slot, which means that when the disk is inserted the inserted leading edge of the disk can be supported and held level before it has a chance to slant downward. As a result, the ease and stability with which the disk is properly inserted into the unit can be improved.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the retaining member comprises:
a first roller that supports an insertion-side edge portion of the disk-like recording medium;
a second roller that supports an ejection-side edge portion of the disk-like recording medium; and
a third roller that supports an edge portion of the disk-like recording medium on a side other than the ejection side.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the moving member comprises a first loading arm that supports the first roller;
a second loading arm that supports the second roller; and
a third loading arm that supports the third roller.
According to these aspects of the invention, the disk can be supported from three directions at once.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the drive mechanism, after the disk-like recording medium has moved to the eject position, drives at least the first loading arm from the eject position further in the eject direction so as to bring the retaining member adjacent to the slot as the disk-like recording medium is withdrawn from the slot.
According to this aspect of the invention, the inserted leading edge of the disk can be supported at a point relatively close to the inside of the insertion slot, and as a result, the ease and stability with which the disk is properly inserted into the unit can be improved.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is also achieved by a disk drive unit comprising:
a slot into which a disk-like recording medium is inserted;
a retaining member that retains the disk-like recording medium inserted from the slot;
a moving member that moves the retaining member so as to retract the disk-like recording medium in a disk insert direction during insertion and expel the disk-like recording medium in a disk eject direction during ejection;
a turntable that clamps and rotates the inserted disk-like recording medium; and
a pick-up that reads information recorded on the disk-like recording medium rotated by the turntable,
the disk drive unit having a drive mechanism that, after the disk-like recording medium has moved to the eject direction, drives the moving member from the eject position further in the eject direction so as to bring the retaining member adjacent to the slot as the disk-like recording medium is removed from the slot.